


In Her Debt

by Lgeme84



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Confusion, Depression, Drug Addiction, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fantasy, Friendship/Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Other, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Content, Sexual Fantasy, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Teacher-Student Relationship, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-23 19:21:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16624931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lgeme84/pseuds/Lgeme84
Summary: Hermione Granger returns to the body of Severus Snape and brings him back to life after Voldemort and Nagini kill him. Now bound to each other through magical energy, Hermione and Snape must sort out their feelings towards each other as they heal from the physical and emotional wounds the war - and life - has left them.**This is my first fan fic ever and I'm not 100% sure I know exactly where it's going to go...but I absolutely adore Snape's character and I was a huge fan of Alan Rickman (RIP). I'm a little rusty with fiction writing, so be gentle with your comments lol. Please let me know if I have any characters, lore, spells, etc...incorrectly utilized! Thanks and I hope you enjoy this story!**





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***I made a significant adjustment to this chapter on 11/19 that will affect the rest of the story. It felt like there was an element missing in regards to how Hermione brings Snape back and I think this change makes things much more interesting for our two main characters!***

Harry secured the vial of Snape’s tears and began to head back to the castle, Ron and Hermione in tow.

Hermione stopped in her tracks, looking behind her where they all had witnessed Snape’s final breath. 

_ No, he can’t be dead, _ she thought.  _ We have to do something.  _

Ron looked over his shoulder, sensing his friend’s hesitation. 

“Hermione, let’s go! There’s nothing we can do … he’s gone,” he said raising his arms and slapping them at his sides with a concerned shrug. 

She shook her head and began backing away slowly from her two friends and in the direction of the Shrieking Shack. She knew there was no magic that could bring someone back from the dead, but she wondered if perhaps a shock spell would kick start his heart. If it was possible for doctors in the muggle world, why not in the magical world. 

“Go with Harry, Ron,” Hermione said, snapping back to reality. “I need to be sure. I’ll meet you two back at the castle.” 

Ron hesitated, unsure of who to follow.

Hermione made the decision for him. “Go with Harry, Ron. I’ll be fine.” 

“Don’t take too long. And...please...be careful, Hermione,” Ron responded, defeatedly. Harry grabbed Ron’s shoulder and the two boys sprinted once again back towards the castle. 

Hermione was alone in the dark now, moon shining bright overhead. Only the distant cracks and explosions of spells could be heard under the dark blanket of the crisp night. 

She approached the Shrieking Shack. She could see Snape’s lifeless body slumped against the side of the shack, his blood splattered on the wall all around him.

She rounded the corner and knelt beside the still wizard and placed her hand on his chest. He was cold and unmoving. His face had turned even paler shade of white than usual and his eyes were half closed, staring blankly towards the floor. The gash in his neck was an inch deep and near six inches across. The bite marks from Nagini had pierced multiple holes in his torso and blood had saturated his tunic and was pooling at the surface.

Hermione knew she had to act quickly. She rummaged through her satchel and lifted a potion filled with an orange substance, a healing salve she concocted before she, Ron and Harry began hunting horcruxes. She had no idea if it would help, but it was the best potion she had given the circumstances. She took the salve in her fingers and rubbed it on Snape’s neck, bite wounds and chest. To her surprise, the salve went into effect immediately. Much of the pooled blood seeped back into the wounds as the wounds closed. 

Well, that was certainly a good start.  

Then, steadying her wand a few inches above his heart, she recited a shock spell, designed to mimic that of a defibrillator in the muggle world. 

Snape’s body responded to the spell, convulsing upwards and back down again. She waited in silence, but could hear no sign of life from the lifeless wizard. 

She recited the incantation again, and once more his body convulsed before slumping back down onto the floor. 

_ COME ON!  _ Hermione screamed at herself.  _ WORK, DAMN YOU. _

In an instant, she decided to try a slightly different route. With a small wave of her wand, the buttons of his tunic came apart and the midsection of his tunic folded neatly to either side, exposing Snape’s bare chest. Hermione couldn’t help but notice a series of faded scars littered across his torso, causing her to pause for a brief moment. She swallowed and firmly grasped the wand in her hand and touched the tip delicately upon his heart.

Hermione closed her eyes. She thought of all the things she had been through up until this very moment. Most fresh and at the surface of her mind was her torture at Malfoy Manor, by the hand of Bellatrix. She winced as she could still feel the piercing pain of her arm as the sadistic witch carved into it. The  _ fear _ of what could have happened to her had Dobby not saved them. Dobby, the sweet, loyal elf who laid his life down to save theirs. She thought of her parents who no longer knew of her existence...of Dumbledore...of Sirius...of those dear to her who were currently fighting for their lives...of who may not survive the night...

Electricity surged through her body as she allowed all these memories and thoughts fill her up. All her sadness, all her sorrow, her loss, her sacrifice, her anger and hate...she could feel the energy rising in her. Her hair crackled, a white-blue dome of static encased her body...

Breathing heavily, Hermione clearly and sharply belted out the incantation once more. The electricity she had built up flowed like wildfire from her body, through her wand and slammed with the force of a locomotive into Snape’s chest. His body writhed and slammed to the floor so violently, she was certain some of his bones had broken. 

She heard a faint exhalation and froze, unsure if the sound had come from her or the wizard below her.

“Professor?” she inquired softly, feeling a tad silly. 

_ Of course it wasn’t him, you daft girl,  _ she thought, rolling her eyes at her foolishness. 

She shifted herself closer to Snape’s body and lowered her head, tilting it sideways and placing her ear on his chest. Trying her best to cancel out the distant sound of spells crashing back near the castle, she held her breath, listening … hoping. 

Her heart leapt into her throat when she was sure she could hear the faint thudding of a slow heartbeat. 

“Professor?” She repeated, this time more confidently.

A small, pained moan escaped his lips. 

_ Holy….shit.  _


	2. Chapter 2

Flashes of light danced behind his eyes as he saw Lord Voldemort slashing his throat open and his body slumping to the floor. He had recalled something like warm water washing over his hand as he grasped his throat.

“Nagini. Kill,” the voice echoed in his head. Then, the snake driving at him viciously,  _ hungrily _ , as sharp, stabbing pains hit him in his chest, again and again and again, like someone was jabbing his chest with needles, but with the force of a locomotive.

Then, Harry Potter’s face appeared before him. He appeared concerned and Snape vaguely recalls crying in front of the boy, but could not put his finger on why. And, just as quickly as Harry’s face appeared, another face took his place. Lily’s. A feeling of absolute love and longing washed over him when he saw her face. The years of pain he endured following her death hit him harder than Nagini’s fangs, all at once. It was absolute  _ agony. _

Lily’s eyes burned into his as she smiled down at him. Her mouth began to move, but he could not hear her speak. He desperately wanted to reach out and touch her, but his arms wouldn’t move when he willed them. It was as if a great weight was holding him down.

Lily’s face blurred and began to dissipate. He tried to bring her beautiful face back to his mind, but suddenly, his eyes opened, and he now saw the face of Hermione Granger. 

“Professor…!” She exclaimed when she saw his eyes open. 

The word cut through his head like a knife and he closed his eyes for a moment as bright lights flashed behind his eyelids.

He heard her apologize and then felt a delicate hand brace the back of his head, another on his side as she helped him to an upright position against the wall.   

He blinked and shook his head, trying to sluff off the ringing and blurred vision. His eyes opened and met those of the young witch before him.

His body felt so weak, he could barely keep himself sitting up. Hermione’s hands were holding him at his shoulders to keep him from slumping back over. He suddenly felt extremely embarrassed for showing weakness in front of a student. He tried lifting his arm, but it was like jelly. It flopped back down to the floor just as quickly as he had begun to raise it. 

“I wouldn’t try to move just yet, Professor,” Hermione said, digging around in her bag of wonders, her heart pounding with the adrenaline of having  _ actually  _ revived him. She pulled out a vial of an emerald green substance and popped the cork off with her thumb. She put her left hand on the back of his head and put the vial up to his lips with her right. 

“Drink,” she encouraged as she tipped his head forward and the vial upward so its contents spilled into his mouth. He swallowed the potion and coughed roughly. The two waited a moment for the potion to take effect. He soon felt sensation returning to his limbs and his body warming. 

“Granger…” he said weakly. 

“Yes, Professor, I’m here.” 

“What happened?”

“He and Nagini .... they attacked you,” she said, unsure of how much to tell him. “I’m pretty sure you died. For a moment, at least...I came back and cast a shock spell on you. It appears to have worked…” She smiled, unable to contain the proudness she felt. 

_ Clever little girl,  _ he thought. But, he was at a loss for words. Not because the witch had successfully re-started his heart; he was aware of how common that was in the muggle world. He was more at a loss for  _ why _ the girl would  _ care  _ enough about him to return to his side and try to save him. After all, as far as she knew, he was working for Voldemort, was an “ex” death eater and Dumbledore’s  _ murderer. _

“Why...would you do that...for me?” he inquired, curiously. 

Hermione paused. “I think...there’s more to you than meets the eye, Professor,” she replied after a moment. The two locked eyes for a brief moment. A loud crack rumbled across the sky and Hermione jumped at the sound. Right. The battle! That was still happening...

“I need to get back to the castle and help,” she said, urgently, reaching into her satchel and pulling out a flask. “ _ Aguamenti _ .” The flask filled up with water and she brought it to his mouth so he could drink. He took the flask feebly from her and as he did so, his hand brushed against hers. It was probably the first time the two had ever had skin-on-skin contact. It surprised Snape that he felt comforted by her touch. He hadn’t even noticed the mild static shock that zapped them both as their hands grazed one another. 

“I have no idea how strong your heart is,” she said, seriously. “As much as I don’t want to leave you here alone, I don’t think you’re in any shape to move right now...besides, if You-Know-Who were to see you … well, that wouldn’t be good now would it?”

Snape began to protest, but, as always, the smart little Griffyndor git was right. Gods, he hated what an insufferable know-it-all she was. Still, the young witch had come back for him, had brought him back to life and seemed genuinely concerned for his well-being. After so many years of being the strict, stern, stubborn professor that everyone either hated, feared or avoided, to now have a  _ student _ , especially a  _ female _ student actually giving a shit about him … it was an entirely new concept...he wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it.

But surely, there were greater issues to deal with at the moment. 

“Do you think you’ll be alright here if I leave you?” she asked him.

“I’ll be fine, Granger,” he replied, confidently. But, truth be told, he had no idea if he would be okay. No idea if his heart would be strong enough to hold out until he could get to a hospital. He was still feeling quite weak and his breath was shallow. 

Hermione seemed to sense his doubt, but she knew there wasn’t much of a choice here. She knew it would be completely pointless for both of them to sit here doing absolutely nothing.

She stood up and looked back at him with concern. “I’ll come back for you, Professor. You have my word.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had meant to release this chapter yesterday, but ended up re-working it a bit after discovering a few different ways I can lead the story! ;)  
> Thanks for the kudos and comments so far everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I had a good time writing it.

She did return for him, once Harry had defeated Voldemort. Hagrid had assisted him back to the castle and he was tended to for the following week by Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing.

At first, there was collective objection to Snape’s allowance back into the castle, considering recent events. But Harry had come to Snape’s defense, informing everyone of what he had seen in Snape’s memories. It came as quite a shock to most of the school that this feared and seemingly dark wizard was not actually a supporter of the dark lord and had been working with Dumbledore all along. It had changed everyone’s perspective of their mysterious potion’s teacher.

The day following the Battle of Hogwarts, those that had fallen were laid to rest and honored. The Ministry officially appointed Professor McGonagall as the new Headmaster of Hogwarts. She and the Ministry agreed it be best to allow a one-month break for all students and faculty who opted to take time to grieve with their families. The ones that no longer had families or a place to go were welcomed to stay at Hogwarts. Many of the students paid Professor Snape a visit in the hospital ward to pay their respects and wish him a speedy recovery before they took their leave.

Hermione and Harry decided to stay at Hogwarts during the break, despite being invited back to the Weasley’s. Hermione had thought it would be better for Ron and his family to grieve for Fred alone together, without her being a distraction. She had held Ron in a long, warm embrace before he departed the castle, and they both promised to write each other during the break.

There was another motivating factor in why she wanted to stay at Hogwarts, she well knew: to see out Professor Snape’s recovery. Not only had she felt solely responsible for his well-being now, she was utterly confounded by the fact that he had been a double agent for Dumbledore. That he had _actually_ been on their side all along, or at least since Voldemort had returned. It completely floored her and she was left with a newfound respect and _admiration_ for him. He wasn’t so much of a miserable old worm after all...

***

While Harry had joined the castle recovery effort over the course of the days following the battle, Hermione immersed herself in assisting Madam Pomfrey with Snape and a half-dozen other patients who had been injured on the battlefield.

Snape was in and out of consciousness for the first three days. In between tending to the other patients, Hermione would sit at his bedside and silently read from various books she borrowed from the library. Every so often, Harry would swing by and sit with her. Most of the time, they simply sat together in silence, taking time to process the deaths of their friends and all that had happened in the last couple of years. They had been directly involved in the vanquishing of the most powerful dark wizard that ever lived...the losses they had suffered along the way...the _sacrifices_ they had made … It was truly unbelievable, especially considering they weren’t even adults yet.

Hermione wiped away a tear as her thoughts drifted to her parents. She wondered where they were, what they were doing and _how_ they were doing without her. Just thinking about it was sheer agony. She realized she had never had much of a moment to really reflect on her decision to _obliviate_ them. She hadn’t regretted it, though, not for a moment. If it meant they were safe from the hands of her enemies, if it meant that they were still out there _somewhere,_ alive...continuing on, even if it was without her, without even their _memory_ of her...she knew deep down it was worth it. Still, it didn’t make it hurt any less.

Harry broke the silence, snapping Hermione out of her thoughtful trance.

“He going to be okay?” he asked her, motioning to Snape.

Hermione nodded. “Madam Pomfrey believes he’ll have a full recovery.”

“Brilliant,” he replied. The two spent a moment looking at Snape, the white hospital sheet rising and lowering delicately as he breathed slowly in and out.

“It’s funny, you know,” Harry continued...“How much we _hated_ each other all these years…”

“Snape hates everyone, though,” she replied with a nod and a mild smirk.

“Everyone, except for my mum,” Harry replied. “Which is _super_ weird, by the way …”

Hermione smiled again, looking over at Snape. “I think it’s kind of sweet, actually.”

Harry raised his brow and grimaced. “Gross. I mean … he’s not as vile as I thought he was, but still….” He stuck his tongue out as if he had tasted something bitter.

“I can see what you mean, but just think about it, Harry. We’ve all pegged Snape as this cretin of a man who’s devoid of _any_ sort of emotion… and yet, just _think_ about what he did after your mom died. He practically threw down his whole life for her _and_ for you, because you’re all that’s left of her…”

The pair sat in silence for a moment, allowing that to really sink in.

 _He must be so incredibly lonely,_ Hermione thought sadly, gazing at Snape. Considering his position in the war, it became clear to her why he was such a private, closed off person. It was obvious that Lily’s death had _broken_ him and he had focused all that hate and pain into avenging her death. Keeping himself isolated from love or friendship from there on out was not only crucial for his own sake, but surely for anyone who he may have been close to. They would have certainly been a liability during his time as a double agent.

Hermione realized she wasn’t much different than Snape in that regard. She had obliviated her parents for the exact reason Snape held everyone around him at bay. To protect them.

But still...Hermione had always had Harry and Ron and the Weasleys as family, those she could turn to for support. As far as she was aware, Snape literally had _nobody._ His life’s purpose for the last 17 years had been to avenge Lily’s death and rid the world of Voldemort for good and now that both of those tasks had been completed, she wondered what he would do now...

Harry and Hermione chatted for a bit longer until Harry was summoned by Headmaster McGonagall to assist in repairing Gryffindor Tower, which had been damaged quite extensively by a fire.

Hermione went back to reading a book on healing potions. After about an hour, she heard Snape stir in his bed. She looked up from her book to see her professor’s eyes open. He sat up, slowly.

“Water…” he said hoarsely, smacking his lips together.

Hermione fetched him a glass of water and handed it to him. He drank greedily, draining the cup compeltely. He breathed deeply as he caught his breath, looking up at the young witch who stood over him.

“Better?” she asked.

He nodded as she took the glass away and placed it on the table beside him.

“How are you feeling, Professor?”

Every inch of his body ached. “Marvelous,” he replied, flatly. He sat up slowly and carefully and looked around the room. “How long was I out?”

“Three or four days … do you remember anything at all?”

He vaguely recalled being brought back to the castle from the Shrieking Shack, but everything after that was quite fuzzy. Hermione noticed he looked somewhat confused.

“Voldemort is dead,” she said quickly. “In case you hadn’t sorted that part out …” She spent the next few minutes filling him in on the details of the final hours of the battle and the events leading up to Voldemort’s death.

He didn’t know what to say, what to _think_ when Hermione has finished talking. Was it over, _truly_ over? Could he finally lay down his wand and _rest_ for once? In an instant, it was as if the weight of 1,000 moons had lifted from his shoulders, his back, his _entire body._ His muscles relaxed and all the nerves inside of him seemed to all but disappear. It. Was. _Glorious_.

After a moment, he turned his head to look at the young witch. Had she been beside him this whole time?

“I pray you have not been wasting too much of your time on my behalf,” he said to her.

Hermione frowned. “I hardly think saving your life and making sure you are okay is a waste,” she said firmly. “Especially after Harry told us what he saw in the memories you gave to him. Professor...what you did...it’s truly _heroic.”_

Snape felt nauseous by the last word Granger spoke. _Heroic._ Gods, he only gave those memories to the boy because he was certain he would die and didn’t want his legacy to be tainted as the cowardly death eater who murdered Dumbledore and was working for Voldemort. He didn’t care about being a hero or any sort of recognition for his actions.

He wondered how much of those memories Potter had shared with the Granger girl and their ginger-haired friend. He eyed her suspiciously, considering a _legilimens_ spell if he had had his wand at the ready…

She was looking at him in a similar suspicious fashion, as if trying to read his mind. They locked eyes for a brief moment before Snape cleared his throat to speak.

“I hardly consider myself a hero. I simply did what had to be done. I am sure you can relate, Miss Granger.”

She could, actually. She wasn’t expecting any recognition or praise for what she, Harry and Ron had done during the war. Others, too, had sacrificed just as much, if not more. It had really been a collaborative effort. There were no singular heroes, only brave witches and wizards who just did what had to be done.

Hermione smiled down at Snape. “Well, I am glad to see you awake and talking, sir. I’m sure you’ll be back up on your feet in no time.”

Snape knew it was all because of her, too. The silly girl had actually thought his life was worth saving. It baffled him, considering his unpleasant personality and how he had treated her over the years. If he had been in her shoes, he likely wouldn’t have given him a second thought…

As he considered that, he looked at her and knew all too well that he owed her his life now. He owed this tiny little Gryffindor girl his goddamned life.


	4. Chapter 4

That evening, Hermione returned to her room at Gryffindor Tower and was greeted by an owled letter from Ron.

She sat on the edge of her bed and nearly unfolded the cream-colored parchment. Inside was Ron’s sloppy handwriting, which, if she didn’t know any better, could have easily been scribbled out by a first year. Hermione smirked as she rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but find it somewhat endearing.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I really hated leaving you so soon after the battle, but I understand why you stayed…I hope you and Harry are getting on better than we are back home. We’re having a tough time dealing with Fred’s death, Mum especially. We’re all really worried about her. She’s barely eating and almost never comes out of her room. Dad is considering bringing her to St. Mungo’s. If that happens, I’m not entirely sure I’ll be back until maybe the new term._

_I miss you, Hermione. I feel so lost without you, and Harry, too. Please keep us in your thoughts. I’ll owl you an update in a couple of days._

_Love, Ron._

Hermione rested the parchment on her lap and closed her eyes. _Poor Mrs. Weasley,_ she thought. It was heartbreaking to think of how it must feel to lose a child. Everything seemed so messed up now. Nothing would ever be the same...how could anyone go back to anything that remotely resembled a normal life? 

She placed her hand over her mouth and let out a pained sob. Tears streamed down her face as she thought of how many people she knew who were suffering right now. So many had just buried their sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers, sisters...some now had no homes to return to, herself included. Those lucky enough to have survived were now burdened with the task of picking up the broken pieces of their lives and carry on...somehow...

Hermione allowed her tears to flow freely, as she sat alone in the dormitory. It felt so good to let all the emotion out of her body. She hadn’t realized how much she had been holding inside. It had been what seemed like ages since she was alone and being alone finally allowed her to bring down the walls she had kept up for so long. As a Gryffindor, it was so deep-rooted in her to be brave, strong and courageous, but truth be told, she felt as if she had reached her breaking point long ago and had been simply running on pure adrenaline for the past few months.

Hermione rolled up her now dampened sleeve and gazed down at the word “MUDBLOOD” Bellatrix had ever so violently carved into her arm. It was surprisingly still red and puffy. It was the first time she had looked at it since the night she was tortured at Malfoy Manor. It had gone on for _hours_ and had it not been for Dobby, who knows what other horrors she would have endured that night. She recalls lying on the floor in complete _f_ _ear_ that her captors weren't going to let up and she was certain Bellatrix would have eventually tossed her to the mercy of the snatchers once she was finished mutilating and humiliating her. Hermione shivered as her stomach lurched at the thought of what would have happened to her if not for Dobby's heroic actions...

But now, here she was, finally safe from harm inside the ever-familiar walls of Hogwarts. She wondered how long that security would last...plenty of death eaters had escaped, Bellatrix and Fenrir Greyback included. Surely at some point they would regroup and a new leader would take the reigns and attempt to finish what Voldemort had started….how long would it be until they all had to fight again, she wondered...

After a few moments, she took a deep, shaking breath and wiped her tear-stained face with her shirt sleeve and covered her arm back up. Opening the drawer to her nightstand, she took out a fresh sheet of parchment and her quill and began writing back to Ron. 

***

That night, her dreams were dark and hateful.

_Hermione stood over Bellatrix Lestrange who was gagged and bound to a cold, hard dungeon wall by her wrists. Hermione was casting the cruciatus curse on her over and over and over again. She grinned in sheer pleasure as the wretched witch writhed under her command. The control she had over Lestrange was exhilarating. Bellatrix cried out in pain, her eyes pleading for mercy, but that only fueled Hermione to increase the intensity of the torturous curse. Suddenly, it was Hermione who was bound and gagged on the wall. Bellatrix sat silently in the back left corner of the room, a pair of yellow glowing eyes floating in the darkness beside her._

_A large figure appeared out of the shadows. It was the face of Fenrir Greyback, moving slowly towards her, his eyes sparkling with hunger. Hermione's eyes grew wide with horror and she squirmed desperately against her restraints. A smile curled upon the lips of Bellatrix who was eagerly awaiting the show. Greyback approached Hermione slowly, until he was an inch from her face which had become saturated with tears. He grinned, bearing his teeth which were stained yellow and dripping wet with saliva. He arched his back and raised his head above hers, settling his nose above her and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the pure fear that irradiated from her deliciously innocent body. As Greyback reached for her wrists with one giant hand, she let out a terrified scream, but no sound omitted from her throat. She called out against the gag in her mouth, begging, pleading for anyone to come to her aid. Greyback's hand grasped at her wrists firmly and moved into her, his body grinding against hers as he let out a low, ravenous growl. He opened his mouth and as his teeth sank into the throat of her flesh, her eyes opened._

She gasped as she woke from the nightmare. Sweat had soaked the sheets beneath her and the scar on her arm throbbed in pain. Coming back to reality, she breathed a sigh of relief as she stared up at the ceiling of her dormitory. Outside, the moon shined brightly in the sky, and a million stars sparkled against the night sky. It was midnight. 

Too afraid of going back to sleep, back to that hellish nightmare, she covered herself with a light shawl, slid her slippers over her feet and ventured down the stairs to where Harry slept. She entered the boys' dormitory to find Harry snoring softly in his bed, sheets kicked off and draped halfway onto the floor. Hermione needed someone to talk to and Harry was the obvious choice. However, she found herself pausing with her hand just above his shoulder as she was about to gently shake him to consciousness.

She thought of her potion’s master, alone in the dark beneath the scratchy hospital sheets. Grabbing a blanket from one of the boys’ empty beds, she exited Gryffindor Tower and descended down the moving staircase and into the main corridor. The castle was eerily quiet and  _cold._ She shivered and pulled the shawl further around her shoulders and continued down the long, stone hallway. 

She approached the door to the hospital ward and opened it, slowly. It creaked open and she peered inside.

Most of the patients had already been released or transferred to St. Mungo’s. Beams of patterned light flowed through the evenly-spaced windows, illuminating the cavernous room. Four patients, including Snape, were all seemingly sound asleep in their clean, white beds. 

Hermione stepped inside and closed the door carefully behind her. She stood at the door for a moment and gazed towards where the tall, black-haired wizard lay silently. She felt utterly  _drawn_ to him. As if being pulled by a magnet, she felt herself moving in his direction, almost floating to him. And then she was at his beside, looking down at him. A small smile curled upon her lips as she noticed how at peace he seemed. His face muscles were relaxed as he breathed slowly, rhythmically, through his large, crooked nose. She wondered how long it had been since he was able to allow himself to.... _breathe._

Hermione lifted a chair up off the ground just enough to move it quietly closer to Snape's bed. She sat down and drank in the peaceful sight of the sleeping man before her. She was so  _proud_ of him. She realized at once, she no longer needed the comfort of discussion. Holding her breath, she took his hand in hers. She was surprised by how warm and large his hand was compared to hers. Her hand had felt damn near frozen and she was sure the temperature of it would wake him and he would scold her for daring to touch him. But he did not stir. As she held his hand in hers, she leaned down and placed the right side of her head onto his torso, lightly. She felt his chest rising up and down as she listened intently to the sound of his heart thudding slowly but steadily. The nightmare that had shaken her just moments before melted away into nothingness. Her body relaxed as she began to slip away into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Snape opened his eyes when he felt the subtle change of the girl’s weight on his chest. His eyes shifted downward to the face of the young witch before closing his eyes and drifting away once more. 


End file.
